Longtime Beaver assistant and former player takes over Harper Creek football program

Harper Creek has named Mike Seedorff as the new head coach for the varsity football program, taking over for longtime coach Ed Greenman, who stepped down after last season.

Seedorff started with the Harper Creek program in 1988 and has been one of the top assistants for the Beavers over the last two-plus decades.

"He's an excellent coach and an even better person," said Greenman, the Harper Creek athletic director. "He's been with us for 21 years, as loyal as they come, hard working and the kids love him."

Seedorff, who will be the 8th head football coach in Harper Creek history, started as an assistant coach at Harper Creek and then became the head football coach at Charlotte for four years before returning to the Beavers in 1999.

"I was interested in the job because of Harper Creek football and what Ed and the staff have built over the years, and the fact we wanted to keep it going, keep the tradition of excellence he established," Seedorff said. "For a long time, all of us assistants joked all the time that when Ed gave it up, we were going with him. But we didn't think it was going to happen so soon, so I wanted to stay and keep this going."

Seedorff not only has coached at Harper Creek for two-plus decades, he also played there in high school.

"I talked to the kids today, and told them I'm a Harper Creek guy - a K-12 Harper Creeker. I played football myself here at Harper Creek, I'm true blue, I love it. Me and Harper Creek football, we go way back."

Seedorff takes over a Harper Creek program that has become one of the best in the area. Greenman coached the Beavers for 30 seasons and had 200-plus wins in that time, taking the team to the playoffs 17 times, winning five districts championships and four regional titles. Harper Creek had also won 11 conference titles during that span and had six perfect 9-0 seasons.

"I was concerned about who was going to continue the tradition of Harper Creek football and Mike stepped up to the plate and I look forward to seeing Harper Creek take a step forward with this hire," Greenman said. "I think it's a plus to hire someone who has been a part of the program. I like to think we have done some good things over the years and Mike has been a big part of that.

"What he has to do now is embrace the traditions he enjoys and helped create and then put his stamp on the program and help take it to the next level."